Reality
by StriderX
Summary: SKYRUNNERS. What if the blood on Tyler's eye wasn't fake? Alternate ending in which Nick saves his brother.


**A/N:** So. Disney XD's newest movie. Skyrunners. I liked it (although incredibly predictable) but thought the ending needed something between the cave and ending scene. Strictly for fun. Thanks for the interest. Review, please, if you like.

**Disclaimer:** I've made the first Skyrunner's fanfic here, but I don't claim the movie as mine.

* * *

**Reality**  
**By: StriderX**

"Nick!" cried Tyler as he watched his big brother desperately battle the alien beast. Without thinking, he grabbed the largest rock he could throw and tossed it to Nick.

Straddling the beast, Nick caught the rock and pounded the monster relentlessly. All the fear, anger and frustration of the last few days surged through his nerves and amplified his strength ten-fold. As Tyler watched from the ground, Nick beat the beast trying to kill his brother until its very last breath. When he thought it was finally dead, he looked down and cursed. "Man! These are my favorite jeans!"

For a moment, Tyler relaxed, but the heavy growl that abruptly filled the air shattered it. "Nick! Look out!"

Without missing a beat, Nick hurled the rock one last time at the alien's head, silencing it once and for all.

Sighing deep, Tyler felt all the adrenaline and fear ooze out of him, leaving him drained and exhausted; barely able to stand…but hearing his brave, victorious brother call out his name pumped strength back into his veins instantly. As Nick ran to him, Tyler lunged onto his feet and into Nick's arms. He couldn't help the choked sob that escaped his throat—nor did he want to after he heard Nick slip the same.

Deep in the alien encrusted cave, the brothers clung to each other as if there was nothing else in the world. Long, agonizing seconds dripped by until Nick suddenly pulled back, holding Tyler by the shoulders, expression frenzied.

"God, I thought I'd lost you! Are you okay? Are you alright?!"

Tyler swallowed a bout of dizziness at the quick movement and forced a smile through unshed tears. "Yeah, I'm fine,"

Nick wasn't convinced, still panicking and running on high. "What about your head?"

Tyler seemed genuinely confused. "My head?" gingerly, the younger boy lifted a hand and felt his fingers come off warm and slick as they ran across his forehead. In a blurring rush, nausea, vertigo, fever, chills; a migraine slammed into his eyes like a blinding light at midnight. In the back of his mind he realized it'd been there all the time, but the adrenaline did much to hide it. But now, as he stared desperately into his big brother's eyes, he felt the world turn upside down. His heart raced. His knees buckled. Vaguely he heard Nick crying out his name. He expected the crash of the stone floor to jar his bones, but none came.

"Tyler!!" Nick cried as his baby brother began to tremble and sink away from him. Breathlessly, Nick reached out to catch him and lowered the boy into his lap. Tyler's eyes were barely open. There was a slight sheen of sweat on his brow; mingling with the blood. "Ty? Tyler, com'on bro, answer me, please!" Nick knew of the tears stinging his eyes, but he didn't care.

Tyler felt as if he couldn't breathe, but Nick's call lured him back to consciousness. He forced his eyes open. "Nick...'m alright," he tried to so hard to sound convincing. In reality, he knew the deep, slurred, gravel in his voice sounded anything but.

So did Nick. "Ty, I'm so sorry I let you down. I was such a jerk for not believing you. I'm so sorry," Nick was opening crying now. Something Tyler hadn't seen since their Dad passed away. Nick clung to his brother, wiping Tyler's hair out of his face.

Tyler had to smile, even despite himself. He wasn't angry with Nick. Not anymore. "No, Nick. You found me...you always have...you always do,"

Nick heart broke in two. Here, his only little brother, his dearest friend, was lying in his arms. Hurt. And it was all _his_ fault. And what was Tyler's reaction? Not only did he forgive him, he still loved him. "Ty..." his voice broke and fluttered away behind the lump in his throat. Gently, Nick leaned over and gathered Tyler up in his arms and held him, burying his face in the younger's deep brown curls.

Seconds seemed to pass in minutes or hours before Nick felt a tinge of change in his brother. When he straightened up, he realized Tyler's eyes had closed and breathing slowed.

Nick may never have been an A-plus student, but he knew enough to know that this wasn't a good sign. "Tyler, buddy, you got'ta wake up," he shook his brother fervently till his eyes opened. "Com'on, we got'ta get out'ta here."

The body nodded weakly. Carefully, Nick pulled Tyler's arm over his shoulder and wrapped his own arm around the boy's back. As they walked through the cavern, Nick felt more and more of Tyler's weight leaning on him. Ten times a second Nick peered down worriedly; Tyler was uncharacteristically quiet.

*

Tyler did his best to walk on his own two feet but every step seemed harder than the last. The migraine coursing through him was overwhelming. He knew that, if not for Nick, he wouldn't be able even to stand, much less walk. But suddenly, as the most intense pungent odor filled his mind, he was jerked back him back to life. Blinking furiously, he focused on seeing the world before him.

"Ty? Do you see that? I think it's how they're destroying the planet," Nick's voice wafted through him. He wanted to speak, but as Tyler opened his mouth, nothing but a dry, hacking cough came up. A cough abruptly silenced by Nick's hand over his mouth. Tyler felt so stupid for making so much noise, but he couldn't help it!

Nick knew that. Ducking low behind a rock with his brother, he peered out at the mass of murderous aliens and knew he couldn't just leave without ending their 'work'. Instantly he remembered the odd, red device in his jacket pocket. He pulled it out, not sure what to do.

Helplessly, Tyler erupted in another fit of coughs that, this time, couldn't be silenced. He knew the monsters had noticed them now. They were coming. Fast. Fighting for consciousness as he felt Nick's heartbeat race, Tyler caught the glowing hint of red in Nick's hand. "Wait!" he yelped as Nick moved to throw the alien ball. "Why didn't you tell me you still had that?!"

Adrenaline and desperation powering him again, Tyler wrenched the ball out of Nick's hands, and worked to activate the glowing red matter.

"Um, Ty, care to explain?"

Tyler forced himself to a stand and aimed. "No time," he mumbled before hurling the red bomb into the heart of the pollution center.

In less than a second their entire world seemed to explode around them. The alien center was obliterated. The air was superheated in a flash of white that hurled the brothers backwards.

Harshly, painfully they crashed to the floor. Tyler knew he had nothing left inside of him. All he knew was his faith in his brother before the darkness finally took hold.

*

"Ty? Tyler!" Nick shook his little brother as the cave began to crumble around him. He knew he didn't have time to fear the worst. In a surge of desperate strength, Nick put an arm under Tyler's legs and another around his back and lifted the boy; carrying him close like he'd done when they were younger and Tyler fell asleep on the couch. Bolting and weaving through falling debris, Nick ran back to the ship. He took precious time to make sure Tyler was laid safely in the pod before jumping in haphazardly behind him; cradling the younger boy to his chest as he cried for the ship to "Fly! Fly! Fly!"

Faster and faster they tore through the cave until finally bursting into free, clear air with the very last cloud of smoke. Nick whooped with joy, but his happiness was short-lived. Catching a glimpse from behind, his heart dropped in his chest when two alien pods came screaming after them with ferocious speed. Fear trembling through him, Nick's first thought was Tyler. But looking down, he knew the boy couldn't help—his head resting on Nick's chest and breaths coming in deep and slow, he was out for the count.

Secondly, Nick looked frantically around the pod, searching for some sort of weapons control. But as a _Whoosh! _and_ Bang!_ of blue light seared into the back of their pod, Nick screeched and sunk into the seat. "Com'on ship!! Help us out here! You've got'ta have some sort'a defense system, right?!!"

The answer was delayed, but after a nauseating flip through the skies, Nick watched the ship charge behind their enemies and quickly blow them out of the sky with the precision fire of a sniper in wait.

Instantly Nick whooped in relief and for a second was swallowed by the sheer thrill of what was happening. But when he felt Tyler stir on his chest reality slammed back like stomach ache after candy.

"Mmm...Nick?" Tyler slurred as his eyes parted. He couldn't see his older brother, but instantly he felt Nick heartbeat rattling across his spine. "What happened?"

The ship still flew at backbreaking speed, but notice had left for them both. Nick's hand rested on Tyler's hair—as much to comfort himself as the boy—"It's alright, bro. We're safe. We're goin' home."

Tyler nodded and closed his eyes again. He couldn't explain how relieved he felt—and safe—just to be out of that dank, airless cave. Now that they were out, he realized just how exhausted he really was...

"Hey, buddy," Nick's voice chimed in as the older boy shook him. "Don't fall asleep again. We're almost there...you got'ta stay awake."

Tyler could hear Nick's words laced with concern. He knew he had to listen...no matter how badly he wanted to sleep.

*

Robin squirmed a bit in her chair. She knew she'd arrived to the graduation ceremony a little late, but the class was fairly small...why couldn't she find Nick in the first row? At first she wondered if her eldest (but not always smartest) son forgot about the name placement and sat somewhere else, but as her eyes scanned each teen from behind, she saw none of Nick. She couldn't put aside how strange both of her sons had been acting lately. On the border between nervous, worried, and angry, she crossed one leg over the other and shook her foot anxiously. "Where is that boy..."

Julie 'Smokin' Gunn also shifted in her seat. She'd had such conflicted emotions over the last few days between Darryl Butler and Nick Burns. But just now, as she finally thought she'd made her choice, the graduate she wanted to ask to be her boyfriend was nowhere in sight. From the row in front of her, Darryl turned and winked at her slyly. After everything, he still wanted her. And...after everything, she still thought about it...

But where was Nick?

The location of Nick Burns was the exact last thing on Darryl Butler's mind as the principle called the first row to stand. He was third in line to graduate, he had a football scholarship waiting for him, and that night, he was going to convince Julie 'Smokin' Gunn that he really was the guy for her. He saw the way she looked at him. She still liked him. He knew it.

Proudly, Darryl and the first row made their way to the platform after being called. The first two students received theirs happily and when it was Darryl's turn to mov--

"Wait!" the boy rolled his eyes with a huff and some woman in the crowd jumped up from her seat. "Wait!! You forgot my son!"

All eyes turned to Robin as she shouted. The principle shook his head; he knew who she was. "My son! Nick Burns," her heart sunk and fury boiled when the principle finally spoke.

"I didn't forget, Ms. Burns. Mr. Burns won't be graduating today…a little matter of his senior science project?"

Robin's eyes went red and furious. She sat down, ashamed. How could it be? She was sure Nick was going to make it...how could she let him slip again?!

Then, suddenly: "What's that?!" the principle nearly shouted with a finger pointed to the sky. A look of fear was on his face and when the audience turned, they instantly knew why. A hundred feet above, a strange, flying ship weaved haphazardly through the air with a stream of black smoke flying from behind. Within seconds it crashed to the ground and slid across the grass, digging up the isle runner in an almost perfectly straight line.

When the smoke cleared and dust settled, the audience of the small graduation let out the breath no one realized was held. The bubble window of the ship slid back. Some gasped when they noticed who was inside.

Robin was the first to their side; she knew her boys were in the ship before it even landed. What she didn't expect was the state of her only sons.

Nick jumped out of the craft—jeans ripped and body covered in dirt and grime—and in one fluid motion wrapped an arm around Tyler's back and pulled the younger's arm around his shoulder to steady Tyler out of the machine. Robin felt her heart race when she caught sight of Tyler, her little boy. There was a gash over his right eye; blood trickling down the side of his face. She noticed his expression was bleary and only _just_ holding on to consciousness. Nick looked worried but happy to be on the ground.

"Nick? Ty—What's happened?!" Robin's words were chopped with emotion. Nick's expression told her he'd tell her everything later. It was an expression that principle Beckler did not get.

"Mr. Burns?! What is the meaning of this?!" the old teacher yelled; furious for the interruption and dying to know the reason for it.

Nick shook his head of all his thoughts and focused on the platform. His Graduation. He'd completely forgotten. The science project. Disappointed, he sighed heavily.

Tyler attempted his best smile and looked up at his brother. "Nick, the ship," he said, softly. "You fixed it."

Nick smiled despite himself. He really had the best little brother in the world. But he knew he had to be fast. Tyler was fading again. Every second they stood it was another pound of his weight that Nick supported. Looking to the teacher and his class (vaguely he noticed Julie gawking at him. For the first time he hardly cared she was there. He had more important things on his mind) he said:

"Mr. Beckler! I'd like to submit this as my senior science project," he nodded to the ship. "But I really can't talk right now. We'll talk tomorrow?" and without waiting for an answer, "Great, awesome," Nick turned to his mother; the school principle was left staggering in the background. "Mom, he needs a hospital."

Without even blinking, Robin let motherly instincts take over and she swiftly ushered the boys to her car. She didn't look to see that the ship had risen, limping behind them, hovering just above the ground. As she opened the back door of her sedan for her sons, the odd alien craft gently latched onto the roof of the car and cloaked itself in invisibility. Getting in the driver's seat, she shook her head. They had a lot of explaining to do.

"Okay, Nicolas. Spill. Now."

Nicolas. It was a rare occasion that his mother used his full first name, but when she did, it meant doom. That, coupled with the intense emotion thickening her voice, and suddenly Nick felt very nervous. From the backseat, he caught his mother's eyes in the rear-view mirror. There was a conflict in them between anger and worry. Mentally he scalded himself. Anger for him. Worry for Tyler. "M-mom...you remember when we told those agents we had a UFO in our garage? We were actually telling the truth."

Robin sighed. This was way, _way_ too big for her. "Alright. We'll discuss that later. What happened to Tyler?"

Nick looked at his brother with sad eyes. Tyler was still holding on to consciousness, but only just. There was a glow of sweat still clinging to his brow. "I think he hit his head," turning his attention to the boy Nick asked, "Hey, Ty, how ya feelin'?"

Tyler attempted another smile; all too conscious of his family staring at him. "Just like that time I got an A-_minus_ in math class."

Nick grinned a bit, but saltwater in Robin's eyes was nearly full-to-bursting. Somehow she'd managed to miss something enormous in her son's lives. Something quite nearly deadly. A mistake she would never allow to happen again.

*

It was late night by the time the boys had finally gotten home. They'd have been home far sooner if not for Tyler's unfortunate hospital visit. Robin reacted well (for the most part) when she learned the real truth of what happened to her boys—particularly her youngest—over the few last days. At the first moment she saw Nick dragging Tyler from the disheveled space-ship, she'd prepared herself for the worst. Currently, she was locked in an inward battle whether the _truth _was really so bad. Either way, it didn't change the damage done to her son.

Tyler was dehydrated and exhausted beyond recognition. The concussion and sprained shoulder did little to help the boy's situation. Of course, Robin knew that everything would be alright...Nick would make sure to that.

She'd always been so proud of Nick for being the brother he was to Tyler—especially since their father had died—but now she saw something she'd never seen in him before. Since they crash landed, Nick had such a fierce protective determination for Tyler. He wouldn't leave his side once. He insisted on carrying him into the hospital and while she drove them home, Nick was again in the backseat with Tyler, an arm around him as the boy rested his head on Nick's shoulder.

By the time they arrived home, Robin was hardly worried at all. Tyler was better after fluids and pain killers; Nick had sworn to her an oath that he'd watch him every second of the night. Last she saw of the boys that night, Nick was close behind Tyler as they made their way up the stairs to their shared bedroom. She couldn't help but smile when Nick reached out to steady the younger when he swayed.

With a sigh, she shook her head. _Her_ boys.

By the time they were ready to sleep, it was past midnight. Tyler was in Nick's bed (Nick had told Tyler he couldn't keep an eye on him if he slept high on the bunk-bed) and Nick got comfortable on the floor just beside his brother.

It was quiet for a long time but neither was asleep.

Suddenly,

"Ty?" came Nick's small, slightly unsure voice.

"Yeah, Nick?" Tyler's voice was pleasant, but clearly exhausted.

"Are you ok? I mean...really?"

Tyler swallowed hard. "I am now,"

"Listen..." Nick's voice was thick. The boys stayed lying on their beds. Emotions were too high to be coupled with visual. "When the ship brought me to the cave, I used the binoculars to find you...I saw where they kept you..."

Tyler winced. He wished so much he could forget that place. Nick was the only one besides their mother that knew of his fear of small places. "I couldn't breathe, Nick...I thought..." his voice broke and cracked high.

Nick couldn't take it anymore. Shooting up, he jumped by Nick's side and pulled the boy to a brotherly embrace. "Don't think that, Ty. You got out, remember? And even if you hadn't, I would've gotten you out. I'll always protect you, bro. I'll never let anything happen to you again,"

Nick felt his baby brother nod into his chest. He could feel the moistness of tears trickling over his skin.

"Listen," Nick sighed deeply. "I'm so sorry about all this. For how I let you down," Tyler sat up and tried to intervene. But an upraised hand from his brother stopped him before he began. "You're the best friend I've ever had. And I...I let you down because of a girl," Nick's eyes were clear, but his voice was deep and solemn. "Can you ever forgive me for being so stupid?"

Tyler smiled a big, genuine, happiest-day-in-the-world smile that took Nick by surprise. The oddity of fearful tear-stains and beaming joy expressed on one face at one time was slightly too much to comprehend. Tyler lunged into Nick's arms with a sort of laugh. "You're the best brother that ever was, Nick. Of course I forgive you."

Embracing the hug, Nick sighed deeply, relieved.

When Robin decided to poke her head in the boy's room, she smiled warmly. There, under the faint moonlight, her sons slept peacefully. It would be almost an hour before Nick's alarm went off to check the state of Tyler's concussion. She wasn't worried.

**End**


End file.
